A breezy and swaggering lawyer with more ambition than skill, Prewitt agrees to help Pinkie marry Rose despite the legal impediments to their underage union. Later, he witnesses Pinkie’s killing of Spicer and agrees to take a holiday to avoid being questioned by authorities about the murder. On the cliff at Peacehaven, Ida lies to Pinkie about Prewitt, saying the lawyer told her everything about Spicer’s death. In reality, Prewitt told her nothing; she simply made a lucky guess.
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Mr. Prewitt Character Timeline in Brighton Rock
The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Prewitt appears in Brighton Rock. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part IV, Chapter 1
...better off without Spicer, who was a coward. Then he asks Cubitt to call Mr. Prewitt, a lawyer and a fixer. Pinkie tells Cubitt he might have to get married after...
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Mr. Prewitt has a charlatan’s appearance but is a shrewd and experienced lawyer. He’s also sympathetic to...
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Prewitt jovially asks for a guinea for his trouble and Pinkie tells him he’ll find some...
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...happened on the racecourse: Pinkie tried to have him killed. Meanwhile, back in Pinkie’s room, Prewitt is still fumbling around, trying to find some change.
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Part IV, Chapter 3
...at Frank’s boardinghouse, looking down at the spread-eagled dead body of Spicer at the bottom. Prewitt is there, too, wondering how it happened. Pinkie says it was the faulty staircase, combined...
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Pinkie starts to leave the scene. He has things to do. Prewitt can’t believe Pinkie would leave now. There are too many details to take care of...
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Part V, Chapter 2
...her father can’t write. Pinkie assures her there are ways around things. He’ll talk to Prewitt. Rose recognizes the lawyer’s name from the inquest. They’re both distracted by music drifting from...
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Part V, Chapter 5
...anything and men will always come tumbling back to him. He orders Dallow to get Prewitt on the phone and get everything ready for the wedding. Then he lays down on...
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Part VI, Chapter 2
...Pinkie looks down the street and sees Rose walking toward them. Pinkie muses about how Prewitt managed the whole affair by adding two years to Pinkie’s age. Rose has done herself...
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The hall of the municipal building is tiled like a bathroom. Mr. Prewitt makes jokes as Pinkie and Rose make their way toward the chapel. Rose’s parents have...
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...to a pub around the corner. It’s nearly closing time, but they get drinks anyway. Prewitt offers an awkward toast. Rose, who hasn’t spoken since the ceremony, stares at her reflection...
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Part VII, Chapter 3
Pinkie decides to pay Prewitt a visit. He supposes that the old lawyer will be Ida’s next target. Prewitt lives...
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Pinkie asks if the music coming from the neighbor’s apartment ever ceases. Prewitt bangs on the wall and his neighbor turns the radio off angrily. Pinkie asks Prewitt...
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Pinkie sees that Prewitt is drunk. The old man begins to unburden himself. Pinkie listens against his will. Prewitt...
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Pinkie wishes Prewitt would stop talking. He doesn’t like having to consider what life is like for any...
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Part VII, Chapter 4
Pinkie orders Dallow to watch out for Prewitt. Then he climbs the stairs to his room, happy for the moment, thinking of his...
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Part VII, Chapter 5
...comes flying out of his room calling for Dallow, who’s been on the look-out for Prewitt. Pinkie’s been alone with Rose for two days. He’s in a fevered state. Judy appears...
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...became something he didn’t recognize. Eventually, Rose leaves and Dallow peeks in, telling Pinkie that Prewitt is probably on his way out of town by now and so they can breathe...
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...might have happened while she was gone. The phone rings and it’s Cubitt saying that Prewitt is safely on a boat out of town. Dallow congratulates Pinkie on being so clever...
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Part VII, Chapter 6
...let the matter drop. Ida muses about how they’ve been unlucky with witnesses—including Rose, Spicer, Prewitt, and Cubitt. The latter took a train out of town that morning. Ida isn’t worried....
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Part VII, Chapter 8
...them. Ida asks him to have a drink with her. Then she informs him that Prewitt was picked up by the police before he could get on the boat. He’s been...
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Part VII, Chapter 9
...to put an end to this. Dallow tells him it’s no use; the police have Prewitt. Pinkie asks Rose for the gun. She tells him it’s gone. Pinkie pulls something from...
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Part VII, Chapter 10
...and Pinkie’s death was justice being served. She admits that she lied to Dallow about Prewitt—he did, indeed, make it to France—but the ends most certainly justified the means, and at...
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